The problem is a lack of over FACES. Let me explain. Heels can get over in a few ways. One of which is to mock the crowd/WWE Universe--but this is played out and only get cheap heat. Another is to work hard like Bray Wyatt--the problem here is once he gets over, he is going to get cheered and will get "Face" reactions. Its clearly happening.

The best way to get real Heel heat (except being the authority figure) is to screw over an over face. The guy who prevents the over face from getting wants he wants will get heat by feuding with the over face. Thus we need more over faces.

Getting over as a face is hard tho. You need charisma and flair. You need to be different. But it only takes 1 or 2 more over faces and the entire thing can snowball. Follow me:

New Heel attempts to screw over the over face. (i.e. Sandow attempts to screw over Dbry in a title match). Then a NEW face runs out to assist the over face/prevent the new heel from succeeding. This allows the new heel and the new face to FUED and for a meaningful reason. It also allows the previously over face to continue feuding with whoever he was feuding with before. Now we have 2 meaningful feuds insteat of just shifting the over face to a new heel.

Thats how it is done.

100%. They started the B+ storyline right then and there.

Let me add, the B+ storyline started right after Summerslam and they have built on it until tonight. Its been a LONG story arc. Just what we always say we want. Its brilliant.

As usual the post misses the point and is built on a false premise. WWE is entertainment, it isn't real. It is a STORY. Bryan does not need the strap to be a main event guy. He doesn't need it over the summer and he doesn't need it going in summerslam. Will he get it at some point? Yes, thats part of the story. It doesn't make him "better" or "worse."

The WWE is telling is a story. They have been telling the story for about 9 months now. The story has been very entertaining (for the most part). It has engaged fans like no story line has in many years. It has had cross over appeal. It has had many special and "frustrating" moments. This is WHY we are fans. It is fun and entertaining.

Let me be clear. Bryan NEVER was being buried. He was NEVER buried, and regardless of the outcome at WM he is is not being buried. Over the last 9 months no one has gotten more TV time (and in prime spots) than Dbry. Compare Dbry's TV time the last month to the WWE World Heavy Weight Champ. Its apples to oranges.

Most importantly, and this is why I can never understand anyone who thinks WWE had no interest in Bryan, is that the entire story (kayfabe) is a wink at the IWC. The STORY is the auththority not thinking Bryan is good enough. THE STORY IS DBRY IS A "B+" PLAYER. This is KAYFABE.

IN other words, they got you. You believed the storyline was real life. They made you a mark . . . and thats a GREAT thing, because thats WHY we are fans!

Bringing back time limits is actually a great idea (for non PPV matches). I remember matches used to be announced as : "this match is set for one fall, with a X minute time limit, introducing first from XX, wrestler X."

The standard raw/smackdown match could have a 10 minute time limit, main events 20. This is a way to distinguish the matches (what tier the match is on.) it also elevates PPVs. Right now we see "non title" matches where if the challenge wins he "puts himself into contention" for that very title...which is stupid.

Moreover, the time limit would force the wrestlers to press the action leading to more exciting matches and would help explain why guys are taking risks early in a match, etc.

While i don't think draws should be common place, if used once a month or so, it can easily extend a feud and make the PPV payoff so much better.

Nice column and fairly obvious to be honest (I don't mean that in a negative way). All the people who continuously complain or claim that Dbry is/was/is still or will be "buried" simply don't get it or are not paying attention. Dbry headlined summerslam. He won the title. Then he dropped the title and worked the main even program for the next handful of PPVs. Simply put, during this time he was THE HEADLINER.

He then worked a program with a new young star, Bray Wyatt. Dbry helped Bray get over and now Bray is working a program with John Cena. No one in their right mind would claim Cena is getting buried and neither was Dbry.

Regardless of the program Dbry is in, he is closing out Raw on a near, if not, weekly basis. This is headlining. You see, he doesn't need the strap to be a main event guy, nor does he need the strap to headline raw. He already does these things. His chase for the strap is part of the storyline...wrestling isn't real, the belt is a part of the story.

For half a year now (if not longer), the STORYLINE has been that HHH doesn't think Dbry is good enough. This is all you need to know, that is the STORYLINE and it works SO WELL because it mimics what the IWC thinks HHH thinks in real life, But even a 13 year old can tell that Dbry is the focus of the company right now. Anyone who knows wrestling isn't real can see that. But for some reason a few people in the IWC can't. It is astonishing

Notice the difference between how Dbry's STORY plays out on TV and say a guy like Ziggler. There isn't an onscreen storyline about the Authority or Vince or whoever not believing in Ziggler. Instead ZIggler has very limited TV time and jobs 80% of the time he is on screen.

If you don't get it, you don't get it.

So many redic posts such as "Dbry not ready' ... its really simple. When the underdog face has the title his journey is over. This is even more true after beating Cena clean for the title. There is nothing left to do, there is nothing left to chase, any subsequent defense over anyone (aside from cena) wont be as impressive and it will get stale.

Keeping the chase going gets DBry even more over, the crowd will boo the hell out of HHH and orton, massive heat is coming.

Heat is as important as pop. You will now have both as Dbry continues this journey...and its damn good tv.

The only thing WWE botched was not having cena come out and attempt to save bryan (but unsuccessfully)...that would help Cena get back over with the fans ...they could then feud cena vs HHH while Dbry and Orton feud over the title

The WWE does "promote" the kicks if talking about them is what you mean. They had ADR defeat Ziggler WITH A KICK and everytime he hits that kick during a match cole goes crazy and says "thats the kick that took Ziggler out."

In the MITB match, Dbry was given a double kicks segment where he did his special kicks on 2 people at once.

Agree that Christian is not a true main eventer right now. He got the smallest pops in the triple threat number 1 contender match by far. He should be a perfect upper-mid-card worker.

However, the gripe with the WWE title and Bryan is unfounded. First, the WWE is playing up this angle on TV. They are actively playing up the "we bury small and independent wrestlers"...the fact that they are doing this on TV is a good thing, it is poking fun at themselves, while winking at the IWC.

Second, the Vince/HHH storyline is rumored to go all the way through Wrestlemania. If this is true, then its likely WWE is planning big things for Dbry over the coming year, with or without the strap.

Third, having Orton in the picture adds another level of intrigue and drama. It adds a wild-card and puts people on the edge of their seat, always nervous about him. Wrestling is a drama, adding drama and suspense is a good thing, even if it means the internet's favorite wrestler holds the belt for a shorter time.

Fourth, Orton is doing some great ring work right now and is getting over big time with live crowds during his matches. The crowd buys all of his moves and he poses a credible threat. At the same time, defeating Orton is a credible win. A Dbry/Orton program would be great as evidenced by their earlier work this year.

Having 3 guys over, Dbry, Cena, and Orton is a good thing. The WWE is actively acknowleding how over Dbry is and they are playing up the angle on TV. (See the Makover on raw). Dbry doesnt need the strap to be over. He doesnt need to have a long title run to keep his momentum.

In fact, it is more likely that fans would bore of Dbry if after defeating cena he went on to defend against the likes of Sheamus, Big Show, Fandango, etc. No one wants to see that. Instead, having Orton screw him in some way and then watching Dbry chase orton will get the fans even more behind him. Every segement will be bigger than the last. The WWE knows this and will capitalize on it.

Just because Orton gets a title or Dbry doesnt have a 6 month reign doesnt mean they are burying Dbry or that the WWE got it wrong. As long as Dbry stays in the title picture (and he will), then everyone wins and the payoff will be so sweet come RR or WM.

If a briefcase match is pre-show 1 of 2 things must be true. (1) WWE is trying to use pre-show to actually sell buys or (2) WWE is actually insane.

Briefcases are the equivalent of its corresponding belt (or just about). No way the WHC would be pre-show, even in its current state,